VPF conducts draws for national football leagues which will begin in October. VNA/VNS Photo

The Việt Nam Professional Football Company (VPF) conducted three draws for the V.League 1, V.League 2 and National Cup on September 22 in Hà Nội.

It will be the first time that the tournaments are held in the new time table format in which matches will be kicked off in autumn and wrapped up in the summer of the following year.

It is as same as other countries in Asia and Europe. The synchronised time table will help Vietnamese clubs conveniently take part in competitions held by the Asian Football Confederation and the International Football Federation (FIFA). 

Following the schedule, the V.League 1 will begin in October and close on July, 2024, with the participation of 14 clubs.

Defending champion Hà Nội Police will host Quy Nhơn Bình Định at the Hàng Đẫy Stadium in the opening match. Elsewhere, HCM City will see Khánh Hòa at Thống Nhất; Nam Định will entertain Quảng Nam at Thiên Trường; Hải Phòng will meet Hoàng Anh Gia Lai at Lạch Tray; Becamex Bình Dương will play Hà Nội at Bình Dương; Sông Lam Nghệ An will face Viettel at Vinh); and Đông Á Thanh Hóa will compete Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh at Thanh Hóa.

A total of VNĐ9.5 billion will be delivered to high ranking teams and best individuals. Accordingly, the champions will enjoy VNĐ5 billion. The two runners-up will receive VNĐ3 billion and VNĐ1.5 billion, respectively.

The bottom-placed team will be relegated while the second-from-bottom one will have to take part in a playoff match against the first runner-up of the V.League 2 to keep their V.League berth.

The video assistant referee (VAR) system will be carried out in more matches to ensure the referees make the correct calls on the pitch. 

VPF General Secretary Nguyễn Minh Ngọc said as many as four matches will have VAR this season. The number would be raised based on the stadiums' facility conditions which can meet FIFA's requirement.

This year, each club can register three foreign players and one naturalised one and one foreign player of Vietnamese origin.

Clubs which represent Việt Nam at the AFC tournaments can have four foreigners.

The V.League 2 will see 12 clubs competing for a bonus of VNĐ2 billion. 

It is VNĐ1 billion for the second-placed finisher and VNĐ500 million for the third.

There are 1.5 berths to be promoted to the V.League 1 and two bottom teams will be dropped to the Second Division.

Both V.League 1 and V.League 2 will be organised in the home-and-away two-leg format.

The National Cup will have 26 participating teams in knockout mechanism. The winner will walk away with a VNĐ2 billion purse.

Final dates of the competition will be confirmed in the next few days. VNS